And Impossible is Just Another Word
by storyweaver24
Summary: Life is impossible and so are relationships. Anyone could tell you that and anyone could tell you that James Potter and Lily Evans were impossible for each other. Anyone could tell you that life in the Wizarding World was nearing on impossible under Voldemort. Anyone could tell you that love in the midst of war is impossible. But what are words, anyways?
1. Beginnings

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize is JK Rowling's.

A/N: Why, hello! Welcome to this messed up word vomit I call fanfiction. I have decided to try and break some repetitive elements I've seen in other Jily/Marauder stories and run with a couple of headcanons of my own. I really love this era, and this story is practically writing itself in my excitement. We'll see how far that goes. It's written from Lily and James' third person perspective, most of the time, but I'm toying with switching to another character sometimes.

* * *

_Oh, ominous place, spellbound and un-childproofed_  
_Compatriots in place, they'd cringe if I told you_  
_Our best back pocket secret, our bond full blown._  
_I am a magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment_  
_I am a wunderkind, oh._  
_I am a pioneer naive enough to believe this_  
_Destined to seek, destined to know._

_-Wunderkind (Alanis Morissette)_

* * *

The first time Lily Evans met James Potter was on the Hogwarts Express. A quite normal place to meet, perhaps, but meeting-places are always to be remembered.

The first time James met Lily, he was quite mean. But what can you expect from an eleven-year-old?

(**************)

"Black, Sirius!" McGonagall called, and whispers echoed around the room.

"Black? Did she say 'Black'? Another one of those? Oh, he'll be in Slytherin for sure. "

The tattered hat sat for a full minute on Sirius' head before opening its mouth. "GRYFFINDOR!" Silence reigned in the room. Sirius hopped up and handed the hat back to McGonagall, walking with a straight back to the Gryffindor table. It was not until he sat down that someone started to cheer.

Sirius was taking no interest in the Sorting as he sat down but instead watched the Slytherin table. A blonde-haired girl with piercing eyes watched back. There was a sneer on her lips that made Lily shiver. Sirius sent the blonde a taunting grin that finally broke her stare.

"Bloody hell," she heard someone mutter behind her. She turned and noticed that the other boy from the train was behind her. He had seen the showdown as well.

"Evans, Lily!" The professor called. Goodness, she hadn't heard all the rest of the B's, C's and D's. She hesitantly took a seat on the rickety stool and tried not to panic.

_"Well, where should I put you?"_ The quiet voice in her ear asked. Lily breathed in deeply through her mouth. Sev wanted her in Slytherin, but what she had seen of them scared her. She didn't want to be anywhere near the mean-looking girl.

_"So no to Slytherin."_ Sev was going to be upset. _"I guess it's _GRYFFINDOR!" Lily pulled the hat off with a sigh of relief and whirled around to face Severus. He was pale and looked resigned.

"Sorry," she mouthed before stepping down to the red-and-gold table. Sirius made room for her to sit, but she turned up her nose and sat next to a brown-haired girl instead.

"Alice," the girl offered as an introduction. "Second year."

"Lily." She was soon joined by a great many others at the Gryffindor table.

"Snape, Severus!" The (scary) McGonagall called, and Lily watched as her friend tripped up to the stool and eagerly pulled the hat on. No sooner did it fall past his eyes than it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" and the thing she feared most happened. She and Sev, her only friend, were separated.

(**************)

"Can I have the chocolate cake?" the boy next to James asked. He handed it over and took a longer glance at the boy. He was a first year, that was obvious, but he had an air of shabbiness, almost, about him.

"What's your name?"

"Remus," the boy offered, adding a smile as he took a bite of cake. He popped it into his mouth before his question. "And you?"

"James."

"Pleasure. And this is Peter?" Remus wondered aloud to a mousy-looking boy across from him. "Yes, this is Peter. We're both first years, too."

"Nice to meet you," Peter squeaked, his watery blue eyes almost disappearing when he smiled. James grinned back.

"Nice to meet you too. This place is amazing, yeah?" He gestured to the enchanted ceiling above that was filled with a breathtaking night sky.

As the four boys—as Sirius had included himself in the conversation—watched, no less than four shooting stars flitted across the sky. There was no moon, and it made the heavens all the more incredible.

"Wow!" Peter breathed. "I'll say."

"So do you boys follow Quidditch?" Sirius asked, and a light dawned in James' eyes

(**************).

James made four friends the first day. But then again, he also made two enemies. He didn't know girls could be so protective.

Lily made her first friend the first day. It was something she was proud of because she felt so out of place in this magical world.

She walked into the dormitory, her head spinning with all the information she had learned in the short five-minute walk to Gryffindor Tower. There was so much to learn: switching staircases, shortcuts, talking paintings, and trick doors. How was she ever going to get around the castle without getting lost?

Shaking herself out of her reverie, she focused on the other four girls in the room with her. There was a gentle-looking witch with soft, brown hair, one with almost-black eyes, one that towered over everyone in the room with the awkward earmarks of a growth spurt, and one that was so skinny and pale that Lily was surprised she wasn't a ghost.

"Erm, hi," she said quietly. "I'm Lily."

"Nice to meet you," the pale girl said enthusiastically, tossing the clothes she held onto the bed and throwing her arms around Lily. "I'm Mary, Mary MacDonald. I'm eleven and a half; I'll be twelve in February. I like ice cream, and I have an older sister in Hufflepuff and two younger ones." She turned to the tall girl. "Your turn."

"Fine." The girl paused for a second and fidgeted with her hem. "I'm Marlene McKinnon. Is that all I have to do?" Mary nodded, and Marlene visibly relaxed. She obviously did not like attention to be focused on her.

"My name is Sade Shacklebolt," the dark-eyed one said, her voice slightly accented and sounding like music. Lily liked the sound of it immediately. "I have an older brother here somewhere."

"I'm Emmeline. I like rainy days and snowy days." The fifth girl pushed a strand of her brown hair behind her ear and smiled. "I brought my cat with me. Are any of you allergic?"

"Yes, but only a tiny— ACHOO!" And Mary let out a sneeze that nearly scared Lily out of her skin. "Sorry!" she apologized and turned back to the pile of clothes on her bed.

Lily sighed and unlocked her trunk. Staring dejectedly at the task ahead of her, she closed it again and climbed into bed with a book instead.

One by one, the girls dropped what they were doing and snuggled under the covers. Sade went silent immediately, but Mary and Marlene talked quietly.

"What are you reading?" Emmeline asked. Lily looked up from her book, startled, and shoved her fringe out of her face.

"Narnia," she answered, showing her the cover. It was the first book and was worn out and faded from frequent use.

"Oh, I've never heard of those. Are they good?"

"You've never heard of _The Chronicles of Narnia_?" Emmeline shook her head. "But it's a classic children's story. Everyone knows it.

"What's it about?" Emmeline wondered mildly.

Lily shook her head and smiled a little bit."It's about a lion and a girl who finds a new land through a wardrobe, and there's an evil witch."

"Sounds like a story that happened to my aunt. She was investigating a Vanishing Cabinet and wound up in France."

"Sorry?" Lily was utterly bemused. "What's the point of a Vanishing Cabinet? Isn't that a bit silly?"

Emmeline regarded her thoughtfully. "Who are your parents?"

"Rose and Harold Evans. Why?"

"I haven't heard of them. You're a Muggle-born, yeah?"

Lily tugged on a strand of hair, as she often did when she was nervous. "Um, yeah. Is that a bad thing? Do I have to go to separate classes or something because I don't have wizard parents? Am I here on a scholarship or something? What if I don't do well? Will they kick me out?"

"Slow down and take a breath. Stop stressing. No, it's not a bad thing and no, you'll go to the same classes. You're here because you were detected to have magic. You'll do well enough here. They won't kick you out unless you, oh, I dunno, do something horrible, perhaps. I think you're safe for now."

Lily let out the breath she was holding and unraveled her plait, reaching up to knock the hair out of her eyes again.

"Can we go to sleep now?" Sade called from her pillow. Mary and Marlene quieted their talking, and Lily wandered away to the shores of sleep.

(**************)

"Can you imagine that ever happening to you?" Peter finished, sitting on the floor of his dorm with James, Sirius and Lupin. "Someone breaking up with you in front of everyone?"

"Girlfriends are stupid. I'm never going to have one," declared Sirius, flinging a jacket into the closet. "And if I do, I'm not breaking up with her in the middle of the Great Hall."

"Me either," James agreed, winding up his Gryffindor scarf.

Remus turned a page of his book and chewed on his thumb. Peter nervously played with a Sickle, flipping it in the air and clumsily trying to catch it.

"Whatcha thinkin' about, Pete?" James asked, having given up all hope of fully unpacking his trunk, instead lying on his clothes-strewn bed.

"Nothing in particular. What do you think the classes will be like?" Peter's round face was filled with uncertainty.

"Hard," Remus said honestly, marking his place in his book with a finger. "I think they'll be hard but a lot of fun."

"I just hope we can learn how to do Stunning Spells!" Sirius announced from his pile of belongings, having regained his good mood.

"Well, they're not in _The Standard Book of Spells_, so probably not this year," said Remus. James propped himself up on an elbow and stared at Remus.

"You actually read that?"

"I'm reading it now." Remus held up the book he had been engrossed in. James threw a pillow across the room at him.

"No! You don't read books over the holiday! Our first year of school hasn't even started," James complained, flopping down onto his back.

"Is this a bad time to say that I read some of our textbooks over the summer?" Peter said nervously, preparing to dodge any flying pillows.

"There's so much to teach you both," James sighed.

"Random question," Sirius announced, popping out of his trunk like a jack-in-the-box, "what is your favorite animal?"

"Horse," said Peter.

"Tiger," said James.

"Owl," said Remus. The three boys looked at him, incredulous. Remus stared right back, his eyebrows drawn down. "What?"

"Out of all the animals in the universe, you go for an owl? Not even a cool animal like…I don't know…an albatross or a penguin or something. But an owl?"

"It fits my personality. I like them. They're meek and kind and loyal," Remus insisted, realizing that he would read no longer that evening and putting his book away.

"Kind and loyal? You should have been in Hufflepuff, mate," Sirius shot back.

Remus rolled his eyes and got into bed. "Fine. Whatever. I'm going to sleep because tomorrow is the first day of classes and I want to be well-rested. Good night."

(**************)

Lily started to bounce in her seat when class schedules were handed out. She was full of excitement. Emmeline laughed over her pastry.

"Is someone anxious this morning or what?" she asked, and Lily quit her jumping, her face tinged red.

"I'm not anxious. I'm _excited._ I'm excited about classes. I'm excited to use magic! Oh, I'm excited about everything." She started up her bouncing again.

"Oi, Jumping Bean! Stop your bloody bouncing; you made me spill my pumpkin juice," Sirius, obviously not a morning person, snapped from his position two people over.

Lily stilled, her cheeks burning more than ever, and her temper simmering. "Jumping Bean? Honestly?"

"Lily's a stupid name," he said with a shrug.

"Says the boy named after a _star,_" Emmeline snarled, swinging her legs around and regarding Sirius like she would regard chewing gum on the bottom of her shoe.

"Hello, Limes. Attracted any owls lately?" Sirius smiled lazily at her. Emmeline narrowed her eyes.

"Got a haircut recently?" He pulled a face and twisted back to his friends. Lily looked at Emmeline and frowned.

"What was that about? And why does he call you Limes?"

Emmeline sighed. "Sirius and I are fourth cousins or something like that. We've seen each other around. He calls me Limes 'cause he says I'm sour. One day, he got the brilliant idea to 'accidentally' sprinkle me with birdseed. Owls were absolutely everywhere, it was so annoying. I was picking feathers out of my clothes for weeks. But I got back at him by putting a wad of gum in his hair."

"When was this?"

"Two months ago. There was a party at the Ministry." Grinning, Emmeline took a bite of her toast and jam.

"I am so bored," announced a blonde girl, collapsing beside Lily.

"Calm down," the brunette across from her said. Lily recognized her. "You just have to get through four classes today."

"I want to go home."

"It's the first day. You can't go home until Christmas break."

"But I'm so bored!" the blonde repeated dramatically, burrowing her face in her arms. "Let's go blow something up."

"We can't today," the brunette told her sternly, trying to keep a smile off of her face. "Am I right? We can't blow up anything today?" she asked suddenly, whirling on Emmeline and Lily.

"Who are you again?" Emmeline ventured after a moment's pause.

"Oh, this is Alice Greengrass and I'm Dorcas Meadowes. Everyone just calls me Cass though, because my parents were stupid enough to name me Dorcas," the blonde said, lifting her head up off her arms.

"We're second years," Alice said with a smile. "And you guys are ickle firsties?"

"Not that it matters to us, but some people get, well, put off by it." Cass shrugged, shooting a glare over at the Slytherin table. Lily frowned, wondering.

"That's mean. Everyone was a first year once." Emmeline scowled.

"Like she said: we don't care."

"Er, right," Emmeline said, shaking her head. Lily thought the two girls might be just a little crazy. "Come on, it's time for class. And Cass, don't blow anything up. Wait at least a week."

"See I was right—" She heard Alice insist as she trailed Emmeline out of the Great Hall. People at this school were crazy.

(**************)

James and Sirius, self-proclaimed masters of pranks, earned their title the second day. Deciding that Lucius Malfoy's hair was getting too long, they trimmed it with a well-placed fireball. They escaped, but Malfoy's hair was five inches shorter.

McGonagall handed him a match and effectively broke his train of thought. He glanced over at Sirius, who shrugged. So James turned to the boy on the other side of him.

"Um, Ryan. Right?"

"Yeah. Ryan Burke. And you're James Potter?"

"That's right," James said, giving him a cheeky grin. "Now, what are we supposed to be doing with this match?"

"Weren't you listening? We're supposed to turn it into a needle," Ryan explained, staring very hard at his own match and wondering if it had gotten a tiny bit more pointy.

James laughed and laid his object of focus on his desk. "A needle, huh? But a match is so much more useful. You can do a lot with a match."

"Like what?"

"Lighting fires." Grinning at Ryan's face, he continued. "You can light fires with matches. It's a lot of fun, have you ever done it?"

"N-n-no. I prefer not getting burned."

"What House are you in?"

"Ravenclaw."

"Ah, that would explain it." James stretched his arms over his head, his ever-present smirk in place. Ryan looked uncomfortable sitting next to the crazy eleven-year-old. "Does this look like a needle to you?"

"It's too fat. It needs to be skinnier to be a needle," Ryan answered, though the match did seem distinctly needle-like.

James glanced over to where Sirius had succeeded in making the tip pointy enough to poke people with and was distracting Peter. Remus was lost in his own world, match forgotten on the table. The girl next to him—what was her name? Petunia, maybe?—was twirling her match around and nervously tapping her fingers on the desk. James wondered what had gotten her knickers in a twist today.

"Mr. Potter, what have you done this class?" Professor McGonagall swooped down on him suddenly, and he gave a start, dreaming about food. He glanced up at her, his grin sliding from his face. Behind her, Sirius and Peter were sniggering.

"I've tried to get this match to turn into a needle. I've gotten it silver and such, but that's it," he said, handing it over. She inspected it carefully, lips pressed into a thin line, and sighed.

"Very well, good start. Perhaps if you paid attention in class instead of daydreaming or chatting, you could have transformed the whole thing. Five points to Gryffindor. Mr. Black!" she cried as she whirled on him.

"Yes, Professor?"

"We do not use our Transfigured objects to poke people," she told him. "Please leave Mr. Pettigrew alone."

He nodded solemnly and held it up to his face in a caricature of deep thought. McGonagall's lips twitched, and James was certain she was holding back a smile.

"That Black is a character, isn't he?" Ryan remarked. "Especially because he's a _Black_, if you get me. Wonder how long it'll be until he realizes he's supposed to be in Slytherin with all the rest of his lunatic family. They're all insane, and I'm sure he is, too."

"Don't you ever, ever say that about my friends again." James realized he was shouting at a bloody-nosed, whimpering Ryan. The whole class had gone silent, impressed with the first fight of the year.

"James Potter!" McGonagall snapped, shocked and furious. "Come with me. Now." She stalked to the door, pulling him by the arm. "Miss Evans, Mr. Lupin, please escort Mr. Burke to the Hospital Wing," she called over her shoulder. The door closed on his classmates' stunned expressions, and James suddenly felt weary. He marched behind McGonagall, and she pulled him into her office. "What exactly were you thinking?"

James crossed his arms and lifted his chin stubbornly. "He insulted my friend. I won't stand for that."

"So you punched him?"

"He deserved it. Believe me, he deserved it."

"So you resorted to Muggle violence and interrupted my class? You could have reported it or been the greater man by ignoring it. There was absolutely no need. Detention, Mr. Potter, for the next two Saturdays. And fifteen points from Gryffindor."

"Professor, what about Ryan? He said those horrible things—"

"Fine, ten points from Ravenclaw," she said quickly. James exhaled and nodded, but his eyes burned.

"Thank you. Can I leave now? I really have to go to lunch," he forced out.

McGonagall regarded him carefully, before sighing. "Very well, Mr. Potter. You may go."

(**************)

James was only mildly surprised when Sirius Black slid in next to him in detention. They were cut from the same cloth, after all.

"Hey."

"Hi. What are you doing here?"

"Eh, I hexed a couple of Slytherins. Thought I'd keep you company."

"Thanks, mate." There was a pause in the conversation, slightly awkward, but neither of the boys was willing to fill the space up.

"So I never did find out what made you so mad at Burke that you punched him," Sirius said quietly, deciding to get it over with. James' expression darkened.

"It's not worth knowing."

"Who did he insult?" Sirius asked. James was silent, his head buried in his arms, and Sirius sighed. "Okay, it was me. What was he saying?"

James turned so that he could see him. "Do you really want to know?"

"Probably not. But I'm going to ask anyway."

"He called you a lunatic and implied that you should be in Slytherin with the rest of your crazy family."

"Git. But it's nothing I haven't heard before. And my family is quite crazy… Toujours pur and all that jazz."

"If you don't mind me asking," James started, hesitating, "why aren't you like them? All about blood purity and whatnot." Sirius was silent for a moment, and James was worried that he had offended the best friend he had at school. He shrunk and pretended he was as small as a Pygmy Puff. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'll just be quiet now."

"No, it's fine. I just need a moment to think." A pause. "It started with Andromeda, I think. She was one of my favorite cousins; she was like the white sheep." Sirius smiled at his joke, congratulating himself for a moment. "She was sorted into Slytherin, but she met this bloke named Ted. He was a Hufflepuff and a Muggle-born, so naturally my parents despised him. 'Meda didn't though. They got married two-ish years ago. Anyway, they showed me that pure-bloods aren't the only special people around. I actually met him at the Weasleys—you know them, right?"

"Oh, yeah. My parents are great friends with them. I used to watch their son sometimes."

"Well, they're my cousins too. Second cousins or something, I think. My parents call them 'blood traitors', the idiots, so I naturally spend as much time with them as I can. They're cool as well. Blimey, that was a long story. Sorry, mate."

James waved his hand in dismissal and flashed Sirius a grin, which he returned. "Where is everyone?" The boys looked around the very empty classroom and then at each other. "Do you think-?" he started.

"Nah."

"You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"I could guess," Sirius said, tipping his chair back on two legs, returning James' glare with a wink.

"Are you a Legilimens now?" he demanded. "What was I going to say?"

"You were going to say that everyone had turned invisible, and we can only hear and see each other. After that, you were going to say this is the hardest detention you've ever been in," Sirius replied, examining his fingernails. James stared.

"That's not even close to what I was saying at all!"

"Your loss, then."

"You're mad, mate. Completely and utterly _bonkers,_" he told him, emphasizing the last word with a hit to Sirius' head.

"Ow, gerroff!" wailed Sirius. "You're messing up my hair. And I've been called a lot worse than 'mad', honestly. It's not even that creative," he said, smoothing his fringe down indignantly, and James narrowed his eyes.

"Is that a challenge?"

Sirius grinned. "Hit me with your best shot."

James rolled his eyes and rattled off every insult his eleven-year-old mind could think of. Sirius laughed hysterically over more than a few—"lower than a dirt clod, brains of a flobberworm"—and winced at few choice ones—"as graceful as a house-elf and as pretty as a Cornish pixie."

When he was done, Sirius wiped his eyes and dropped his chair so all four legs were on the ground again.

"Hey, James. Reckon we can leave if the teacher doesn't show up after half an hour?"

James thought about it for a moment. "Suppose that's allowed, yeah." And the two boys hopped off their chairs and meandered out of the classroom.

It turns out they had reported to the wrong room. McGonagall was not impressed, and she let them know it as she marched them to their proper detention.

"If you two make a mistake and go to the wrong room, don't assume that the teacher forgot— because they will not forget a detention—but go find out what's wrong!"

The two boys didn't care, though. They had laughed far too much for it to bother them now.

(**************)

First year was plagued with hexes for Severus, courtesy of the troublemakers. He washed his hair often enough. They didn't need to make fun of it. But his Slytherin friends were interesting to be around. And then there was always Lily…

First year was plagued with hexes for the troublemakers, courtesy of Lily. They thought she was quite aggravating, supporting that annoying Snivellus. She thought they were bullies, not accepting her and her friends. Perhaps she was right.

(**************)

"Do you ever get the feeling that something's off with Remus?" James asked, sprawled out on the couch in the sleepy common room.

"What do you mean?" Sirius' voice was muffled; he was lying face down on the floor. James struggled to find the right words.

"I don't know. He just is always gone and he looks peaky all the time. And he eats and eats and eats but doesn't get fat."

"That is called a fast metabolism," Sirius replied, flipping over onto his back so he could watch the snow fall. "And he's probably always looking peaky because he eats so much."

"But it's more than that. He's just…with all those scars…and yeah. I don't know." He glanced away from the curtains and glanced at Sirius. "I was just thinking aloud."

"No, I get what you're saying. There is something off about him," he said seriously. Further conversation was cut short when Kingsley entered the room. Despite his solemn demeanor and second year status, he had become friends with the two black-haired boys. James sat up straight and gave him a welcoming grin.

"Where've you been?"

"Christmas break?" he replied, somewhat confused.

Sirius snorted and rolled over again. "Brilliant, mate. No wonder you're top of all your classes."

James shook his head, hair flopping around wildly. "No, that's not what I meant. I saw you in the Great Hall when I came in. But that was hours ago."

"Can't I have a life outside this common room?" Kingsley asked, amused. James groaned and was taken pity on. "No, I was with my sister."

"You have a sister?"

"Don't sound so surprised because you don't pay attention, Black. It's hardly a secret." Kingsley said, shrugging.

"What year is she in?"

"First, like you."

"You have a sister and she's a _first year?_ Blimey, how do I miss these things? Next you're going to tell me that Peter has a brother—"

"I think he does, actually," James interrupted. "Goes by Simon, or something. I think he's a Muggle though. Or a Squib. I don't know if his father's a wizard."

Sirius snorted again, waving his hand aimlessly. "Bah, I can't be bothered with siblings. What's your sister's name, then?"

"Sade."

"Oh, I know her. I think."

"She jinxed you once." James could tell that Kingsley liked this conversation very much. He smiled.

"Did she?" Sirius wondered, sitting up and regarding Kingsley. "She's the one that's friends with Evans, right? Yeah, she got me with a Jelly Legs Jinx. Forget why though."

"You had dropped a pie on her head," James said.

"A pie meant for Evans. It's not my fault that they look alike."

"Sirius, they look nothing alike. At all. And it is your fault, because you can't do a levitating charm to save your life."

"The devil's in the details, James," said he, waving his hand again.

Kingsley shook his head and yawned. "You two are impossible."

(**************)

Remus lived in continual fear that someone would figure out his secret. Peter lived in continual fear that he wouldn't be friends with the boys. James lived in continual fear that he would fail his classes. Sirius lived in continual fear that he was put into the wrong house.

(**************)

Oddly enough, it was Professor McGonagall that gave the four boys the nickname they were so infamous for.

"You four cannot—I repeat: cannot!—go traipsing around the castle after hours like this. You are first years, for one, and you are supposed to be asleep—I repeat: asleep!—at half past eleven. Why are you here?"

"I fancied a change of scenery," Sirius replied cheekily and instantly regretted it when the full force of her glare descended on him. "Sorry," he muttered.

"And you, Mr. Lupin, I expected more from you. I would think that you would know better and keep a tighter rein on your friends. You too, Mr. Potter."

"Hey!" Sirius protested. "I am not some type of dog and neither is Peter!"

"Mr. Black, you already have one detention. I will not hesitate to make it two," she warned. He shut up again. "Ten points from Gryffindor. Marauding around the castle, stealing food. Honestly, you would think that you could wait for breakfast, like normal students." She deposited the four in front of the Fat Lady and told her the password. "No more. Go to bed!"

The four glumly climbed into the common room, heads hanging. The portrait shut tightly behind them, and they didn't dare go out again.

"I'm sorry. If I didn't want to go out for food, we would've never gotten caught," Remus started, feeling very guilty and very tired.

"That's all right, Remmy. I'm sure if you hadn't suggested it, Sirius would have," James said, jerking his head at his friend.

"Hey!" Sirius said. "Why am I always to blame?"

"Because you're usually the instigator?" Peter supplied, the smile fading off his face with the dirty look he was given.

"I'm choosing to ignore that slight on my personality, Peter," Sirius said, nose in the air. "But anyway, I know what we should call ourselves."

"…Our names?" Remus asked. Sirius snorted.

"Because that's not boring as History of Magic. We need a good group name; every Dark-wizard-fighting legendary band of friends has one."

"I didn't know he knew this many words," Remus muttered to James, impressed

"The Wicked Witches. The Bumbling Band of BA Boys. The Coalbiters. The Troll Trio—"

"Isn't that a band?"

Sirius ignored him. "And I've got the perfect name."

"Well, go on. Tell us," James prompted.

Sirius frowned; his dramatic pause was not supposed to be interrupted. Mildly frustrated, he continued. "We should be the Marauders. Because we're always cheeky."

"Sirius, I really don't think that's what it means—" To his credit, Remus did try. But the boys was not to be deterred.

"Oh, shut it. It's bloody brilliant! The Marauders." James got a faraway look in his eye. "Defenders of justice and pranks! Potter, Pettigrew, Lupin and Black!"

"Why am I last?"

"Because your name is Black."

"What does that have to anything with it? My name should be first, it starts with a 'B'!" he protested. Remus rolled his eyes.

"And that is my cue to go to bed," he muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. James yawned and stretched.

"I suppose you're right. We can talk about the details tomorrow."

And the four boys traipsed up to their room as silently as they could. James had almost fallen asleep when he heard Remus whisper, "The Marauders. I _do_ like the sound of that."

* * *

_A/N: And there is the first chapter! Don't worry, the chapters will be in this jerky, one-shot format only until the main story starts around fifth year. Hang on until then!_

_Shoutout to my awesome beta Lissie at biggerandbeta—you're amazing. Thank you so much. _

_Reviews would make my day. :) Happy New Year!_


	2. The Obsessions of Twelve-Year-Olds

Disclaimer: I just own plot and the occasional personality. JK Rowling owns the rest, lucky girl.

* * *

_Oh, you're so enchanting_  
_When your mouth is closed._  
_And with a mouth like that_  
_Who needs politics and prose?_  
_Now I'm staring into those vacant eyes_  
_Trying to figure out if you've_  
_Understood a single word that I've said._  
_Is there anything going on in that pretty little head?_  
_Cause if you're just drop dead gorgeous,_  
_You should just drop dead._  
_-Drop Dead Gorgeous (April Smith and the Great Picture Show)_

* * *

Second year was an interesting year. It was the year of obsessions, of deeper friendships and, of course, of more spells thrown in the hallways.

(**************)

"Bye, Mum," Lily whispered, determined not to cry. She was, after all, twelve years old—practically a grown up.

"I love you," Rose said, also determined not to cry. With one more squeeze, she let her youngest go. "Write me as much as you can. Don't forget to eat, and make sure you brush your teeth. Oh! Don't go jinxing anyone unnecessarily, don't drink anything you make in Potions unless the professor _explicitly_ says you can, and—"

"Darling, Lily has to get onto the train. Preferably before it leaves," Harold said, tugging on his wife's arm and smiling down at Lily. "She's a big girl. I'm sure that she'll be fine."

Lily shot a grateful look at her father and gathered her belongings. Her mother handed her Tumnus, the owl Lily had received when she was accepted into Hogwarts, and gave her one last squeeze. "Do enjoy yourself, dear."

"I will, Mum. Give Petunia my love!" And the redhead climbed aboard the train, waving goodbye to her parents and very much ready to start the school year. Dragging her trunk behind her and awkwardly maneuvering through the narrow corridors, she didn't notice the person ahead of her before it was too late.

"Ouch!" James cried, rubbing his elbow. "Watch where you're going, why don't you. It's the least you can do since you're taking up the whole walkway."

"I would walk faster if you could stay out of my way," said Lily, really not in the mood to deal with him.

"Pardon me for walking."

"You're excused."

"That was sarcasm, Evans."

"I noticed and returned in kind, Potter." Lily tilted her head to one side. "Or are you too dull to recognize it?"

James flushed and shook his head. "You are impossible."

"Ooh, fancy words. I'm impressed."

"What is taking you so long?" Sirius asked, poking his head out of the compartment. He focused on Lily. "Oh. That's why."

"Well, hello to you too, Black."

"You're just a little ball of wit today, aren't you?" James demanded, sticking his hands in his pockets and glaring.

"So what if I am?" she said, straightening. "Now, if you would kindly move aside so I can get by…"

With a mocking bow, James did as asked. She marched past, not bothering to care about their scornful looks.

"Say 'hi' to Snivellus for me!" Sirius called after her. He fancied he could see steam come out of her ears.

Finally finding the compartment that Severus had claimed, she slammed the door and leaned against it. "Ooh, those boys!"

Sev looked at her reproachfully. "Black and Potter again? Gits."

"Yeah, they accosted me in the hallways," she answered. Severus' mouth was pressed into a firm line, and his grip on his wand tightened. "Don't worry; I'll get them back later. We'll see who's laughing after the first Charms essay," she said, a smug smile on her lips. Severus seemed to relax, and he leaned back in his seat.

"I hope we have Potions together again," he said.

"Me, too."

(**************)

"Black, Regulus!" McGonagall called, and a small boy walked up to the Sorting Hat. James turned to Sirius who had gone oddly quiet at his side.

"A relative of yours?" he whispered. Sirius wore a far-off look.

"You could say that."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Nice to see he's carrying on the family tradition," said Sirius, shrugging. He was hiding something. James studied him, wondering what was wrong.

"Is he your cousin?"

"Brother."

"I thought you said you couldn't be bothered with siblings."

"And he," Sirius nodded to the boy that looked so much like him, "is the reason why." James decided to drop the subject.

"How was your summer, mate?"

"Boring. I laid in my bed most days reading _Quidditch Through the Ages_."

"You? Reading during the summer? What has the world come to?" James marveled, adopting a look of surprise and placing a hand over his heart.

"Hardy har har," Sirius sneered. "As if you did anything better."

"I actually played Quidditch, thank you very much."

"Big-shot."

"Lazy bum." James returned Sirius' smack with one of his own. Sirius winced and rubbed his shoulder.

"That was harsh."

"You started it."

"You didn't have to retaliate harder. That was just mean," whined Sirius, pouting. James smacked him again for good measure.

"Stop it with the puppy dog eyes. They don't work on me."

"Git."

(**************)

"Whoever thought that it would be a good idea to mix hormones and magic was obviously not thinking," Alice muttered to her friend.

Lily nodded, textbook at the ready to deflect any spell heading her way. It was known to happen that a jinx intended for a certain Severus Snape could hit her instead. James and Sirius always said it was accidental, but Lily had decided to not trust either one. Ever.

"Why are you friends with him?" Alice asked after she caught Lily giving a smile to Severus. Lily shrugged.

"I just am. He's really nice. Why?"

"Nothing." Alice shook her head. Lily could tell that she wanted to say more, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear it. "So did you have a good summer?"

"Not really. My sister doesn't like me so much."

"Ah." Alice didn't have that problem. Her family had four girls. Alice was the oldest, and though they didn't always get along, they were still sisters, after all. "I'm sorry. That must be annoying."

"It is." Lily turned away. "Listen, I've got to get to class. It was nice talking to you though."

"Likewise. What do you have next?"

"Transfiguration." Lily pulled a face.

"Ah. Have fun!"

"As if watching Potter show off could be fun," Lily muttered, waving as she walked away.

(**************)

Sirius Black hated to be anything like his father, Orion Black, a pure-blood Muggle-hating, Voldemort-loving man that played Beater in his Hogwarts years. So when Quidditch season rolled around, Sirius was as far away from the pitch as he could get.

James Potter loved to be everything like his father, Edmund Potter, a pure-blood Ministry official, family-loving man that played Keeper in his Hogwarts years. So when Quidditch season rolled around, James was the first one on the pitch, clutching his broomstick eagerly.

(**************)

"Let's get this started," he said, shifting his weight impatiently. Peter smiled weakly, a faint sheen of sweat shining on his forehead. He bit his lip and twisted his hand on his broomstick before he spoke.

"Yeah, I know." Despite his attempt to sound confident, it fell flat. James gave him a big grin.

"That's the spirit, Pete."

A light-haired seventh year blew her whistle. She was quickly surrounded by eager players. "My name is Amy Campbell, and I'm the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I play Keeper, Kingsley plays Beater, Julie plays Seeker, and Louis plays Chaser. We're looking for two Chasers and a Beater today who can stay on and handle the ball well. Everyone, on your brooms!"

They all did as asked and, after dismissing some first years who had snuck on, Amy led them around the field.

James gave a small squirm of excitement at the feel of wind in his hair; he loved being on a broom. It was a shame Keeper—his father's position—was taken. But he would be happy with anything.

"All right, Chasers line up!" Amy called, hovering near the goalposts. "Grab a Quaffle and take the shot."

James fell in behind a tall girl. She wore a focused expression and was vaguely familiar.

"Hey," he said as he watched a fifth year clumsily throw the ball into the goalpost. It was easily stopped by Amy, who threw it back with a smile.

"My name is James."

"Marlene," the second year next to him said curtly. He studied her for a moment, supposing that Marlene wasn't one to talk much. That was fine; he could talk enough for the both of them.

The slight fourth year boy went next. He did pretty well; James was impressed. The boy looked as if he could be blown over by a stiff wind.

"Next!" Amy called, and Marlene shook her head once.

"Good luck!" James said. She nodded at him, sped to the goalpost and sunk a shot straight past Amy. "Wow," he breathed. She was _good_. Fluid, quick, and absorbed in the game. Just what a Chaser was supposed to be.

His turn now. He took in a big gulp of air and shifted forward on his broom. It followed his command, and he hurtled towards Amy and the goals, the Quaffle tucked securely under his arm. It gracefully spiraled in, missing the Keeper's fingers by inches, and was caught by Louis on the other side.

"Next!"

"Nice one, James," Kingsley said, coming up beside him and smiling widely. James smiled back.

"Is your sister trying out today?"

"No, she's not much of a Quidditch player. Says her favorite sport's chess, but I keep telling her that's not a sport. Where's Sirius?"

"He doesn't play either, though he can't claim chess as a pastime. He prefers to procrastinate in front of the fire instead."

Kingsley chuckled. "Sounds like Black then. I see Peter's here though," he said, eyeing the mousy boy. Peter dropped the ball halfway to the net and was bright red as he circled back to try again. "He doesn't look so good."

"He's just nervous. I don't blame him; I was, too."

"The great James Potter, nervous? I don't believe it. Call the _Daily Prophet!_"

"It's been known to happen. Not often, but sometimes," James acknowledged, bumping his broomstick into Kingsley's. Kingsley chuckled again and retaliated.

A shriek filled the air, and the two boys turned to watch a girl lose control of her boom and go plummeting down. She tumbled off at the last second, unhurt but very frightened. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she propped herself up and vomited.

"Messy sport, Quidditch," Kingsley commented.

"Quite. Can't say that about chess."

"You haven't seen my sister play. She's out for blood."

"Lovely."

At the end of tryouts, James and Marlene were the two new Chasers. Unsurprisingly, Peter had gotten nothing but a trip to the Hospital Wing. Most everyone was happy.

(**************)

Though she never would admit it to anyone, second year was the year Lily harbored a very small, _very_ secret crush on a certain James Potter. That was why she was so mean to him all the time. But she couldn't let anyone know, Severus most of all. He would never forgive her.

As far as James was concerned, girls still had cooties. The worst days in class were the ones when he had to work with anyone of the opposite gender. Know-it-alls.

(**************)

James scowled at Remus, who was sitting at a table with the annoying redhead. They were chuckling together and talking and having a good time. The girl sat up after a moment and checked the stack of books perched on the table next to her. Frowning, she ran her fingers down the spines and abruptly stood and walked away.

"Come on, Sirius. She's gone," he muttered to his cohort, and he also stood. Sirius slid into the seat Lily had just abandoned, and James leaned on the table across from Remus.

"What are you doing?" Sirius demanded

Remus raised an eyebrow, an impressive trait for a twelve-year-old. "What do you mean?" he asked, glancing from one boy to the other.

"What are you doing with that Evans girl?"

"Studying, why?"

"You looked pretty close. Laughing and smiling and whatnot. Why?" James' gaze bored into Remus', but he did not flinch.

"She's nice. Can't I have fun with my friends?"

"Well, sure. But _Evans?_"

"She's nice."

"Remus," James hissed. "We don't like her." Both of Remus' eyebrows shot up, and a small half-smirk played on his lips.

"But I do. She's my friend. Leave us alone now. Please."

"What is your problem?" The afore-mentioned Evans asked, slamming a book on the table. They both jumped.

"Nothing," Sirius muttered, shifting his weight. She raised an eyebrow at the two. "Then why are you harassing Remus?"

James lifted his chin defiantly. "Well, it's none of your business," he said, feeling quite pleased with himself. Lily flushed, and she began to plait a piece of hair.

"It's my business if you're standing at my table, stopping my partner and me from studying!"

"Is everything about you?"

"Of course not."

"Why do you make it then?"

"James," Remus said in a low voice.

James heard the warning. It was a lame argument, but he was too angry at her for stealing Remus to care. Lily snorted disapprovingly.

"Go away if you're just going to insult me. I have better things to do," she said, shooing her hands at them. They left, but not without sending a withering glare at Remus over their shoulder. And that is when her crush evaporated into hatred.

(**************)

"Where do you think he goes?" Severus asked, eying Lupin's empty chair. Lily was bent over her cauldron, getting annoyed at the fringe in her eyes.

"Hm? Oh, Remus? Haven't the foggiest. Sev, do you think this potion looks too pink?" She frowned at the suspiciously rose-ish substance. It was supposed to be peach, not rose. Rose was bad.

"Honestly, why is he always missing? He can't be sick all the time, nor can his mother. Can she?"

"Why do you care, Sev? You're the one that hates Remus and his obnoxious friends. Don't let it bother you."

"Yeah, but _you're_ friends with him."

"So it's my problem and not yours. And I'm choosing to not make it a problem because as you said, he's my friend."

"I don't know what you see in him," Severus said scornfully.

"Aw, he's not all bad, Sev," Lily protested, already knowing where this was going but too exasperated to care.

"But he's mates with James Potter and Sirius Black. That has to say something bad about his character."

"Severus, I will not have you saying bad things about my friends. Yes, Potter and Black are annoying prats, but Remus is not. Please, leave it alone. Now. What should we do about this potion?" It was definitely a rose color now, and Lily was frustrated. Severus studied it as well.

"It does look too pink," he admitted, tapping an ink-stained finger on his chin. "Maybe if we add some essence of wormwood, that could help."

"Or it could kill us," muttered Lily, but she did as he said and dripped three drops in. The liquid immediately turned the color it was supposed to be and started steaming gently. "That's it!" Lily said happily, beaming at Severus. He smiled back.

"Ah, the Delightful Duo!" Slughorn announced, sweeping up in front of their table. Severus winced at the moniker and glanced back to where the Slytherins sat. They had heard. Of course they had heard. But Lily pretended not to notice and instead babbled on to the professor.

"It looked like it was too pink, so we added some—what was it? Oh, yes—we added wormwood. Three drops," she trilled quite anxiously. Slughorn bent over the pot and took a deep breath.

"Well, Miss Evans and Mr. Snape," he boomed. "It smells fine, but let's try it on something, shall we?" He poured a small spoonful on a plant. The plant shuddered, and one by one, small pustules emerged. "Perfect," Slughorn declared, beaming at his two favorite students. "Absolutely outstanding."

"Thank you, Professor!" Lily said, glowing from pride and the vapors of the room. Severus gave him a smile as well, looking very proud. "We did it, Sev!" Lily whispered to him. Hearing a snort behind her, she whirled around until she found the culprit.

"Please," Sirius grunted. "It's not the first potion you've ever done and not the hardest either. You don't need to be so happy about it."

"You're just upset because your potion is blue," Lily shot back scornfully. Sirius flushed and glanced away to the boy next to him. She turned back to the front of her seat, back straight and eyes glinting.

Two minutes later, the classroom was evacuated because of a foul smell. Though no words were said to the professor, Sirius and James looked very smug with themselves as they hastily stowed away the wrappings of a Dungbomb.

(**************)

James reached out and grabbed Remus by the arm, pulling him into the abandoned classroom. Remus barely had time to say anything when he was confronted with James, Peter and Sirius.

"What are you guys doing? Is this going to be another major prank we're pulling?" he asked, shaking his head.

James paused for a moment. "Actually, yes. We were thinking about doing something spectacular. But that's not the point!"

"Then what is?"

"Yeah, I was wondering that too, mate," Sirius spoke up. James glared at them both, but they both just grinned.

"Well, if you would let me talk, I could tell you!"

"Go ahead then. No one's stopping you." Sirius folded his arms, a smug smile on his face. James sighed. His friends were impossible.

"We know you're a werewolf," he said bluntly. Remus blanched and froze for a second.

"Um, what did you say?"

"We know you're a werewolf. Y'know, creature that changes at the full moon, howls occasionally, that kind of stuff."

"No, no, no," Remus said, shaking his head furiously. "I'm not a werewolf. You guys have it all wrong. That's not right."

James frowned. "I'm pretty sure I'm right." Remus continued to deny it, but it only served to rile James up more. "You disappear every month around the full moon and come back absolutely mangled. And don't give me that load of dung about visiting your mum or being sick all the time. No one is that sick! Ever! And you always 'happen' to injure yourself during these trips. You can't fool us, mate." He locked eyes with Remus who realized that James would never give up. They stared at each other for a long time, James determined and Remus defiant.

"Fine," he croaked. "You win; you're right."

"I knew it!" James crowed, whirling around to give Sirius a high five. "I knew it!" Remus frowned.

"Well, aren't you going to go run off to Dumbledore and ask that the werewolf problem be 'taken care of'? I'll just go pack my bags right now. I knew this was a bad idea," he said, getting progressively quieter as he spoke. James turned around again.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you want me to leave?"

"No, impossible. You're one of my best mates. Why would I?" James frowned as well, crossing his arms and surveying Remus.

"I'm a werewolf. A dangerous creature that changes into something every month and everyone hates."

"Remus, the only dangerous creature in this room is Peter when he doesn't get his breakfast," Sirius said, winking at Peter. "And werewolves are cool. Like, you're the coolest thing ever."

The corners of Remus' mouth twitched upwards, and he glanced up from his hands. "You really think so?"

"Of course," Peter said, his watery eyes crinkling as he smiled.

"We wouldn't lie to you, Remus," James said quietly, knowing that he needed the affirmation as much as the sandy-haired boy did. "But we might have to start calling you 'Moony'."

Remus gave a small laugh. "Moony, huh? I can deal with that."

So the first of the Marauders was named.

(**************)

Lily patted the back of her sobbing roommate. "It's okay, Mary. It's okay," she murmured to the blonde. "What happened?"

"Avery hit her with a Bat Bogey Hex right after lunch," Marlene answered, as Mary's head was buried in her pillow. "It was payback for the snarky comment she made to him in Defense."

"What comment?"

"Ask Avery."

Knowing she would not get much more out of Marlene, she focused again on her roommate. "Mary, come on. Sit up and we'll get you to Madam Pomfrey."

"I don't want to go to the Hospital Wing. I just want to sit here," she whimpered. Lily caught bits and pieces and exchanged a look with Emmeline.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Lily hesitated for a second but decided that Mary would be best left alone. She patted her once more and crept out of the room with Emmeline at her side.

"Sometimes," Emmeline said in a hollow voice, "I really hate Slytherins."

"Aren't some of your family Slytherins?" Lily frowned and turned to look at her best friend.

"That doesn't help the case at all. I have some pretty awful family members."

"Don't we all?" Lily added gloomily. Emmeline smiled at this and nudged Lily with her shoulder.

"Hey, this means that we're each other's family. That's not so bad, is it?"

"I guess not."

Emmeline could see that this upset Lily, and though she didn't know why, she still felt responsible.

"Did you read the Muggle Studies homework?"

"Yeah."

"Do Muggles really have boxes that play images? I mean, is the teacher serious?" Lily seemed to lose some of the disheartening mood she was in. With a slight giggle, she nodded.

"He's serious. They're called televisions and—"

"What did you say?" a grubby Sirius asked, planting himself in front of them. "Did you have a question for me?"

Emmeline and Lily looked at each other, bewildered. "No." Lily said slowly, thinking back. "We were talking about Muggle Studies."

Sirius frowned and muttered something that sounded like 'girls' under his breath. "I could have sworn I heard my name."

The look of confusion fell off of Emmeline's face and was replaced with one of glee. "Sirius, I asked if the teacher was being serious, as in not joking. That's probably what you heard."

"Oh." His cheeks took on the faintest hint of pink, and he fiddled with his book bag. "I'll just be going, then." And he slunk away to where an amused Remus, Peter, and James sat by the fire.

"Idiot," Emmeline chortled, watching him as one would watch an annoying but cute dog. "So what do you watch on them, what do call it, melevisions?"

"Televisions. And they have programs that we watch. There's all sorts. Dramas and comedies. It's all good fun."

"And you just sit there and stare at the box? That doesn't sound interesting."

"You'd be surprised."

"Muggles are so _weird._"

"Well, so are wizards." Lily smiled at Emmeline's disgruntled face. "Any other confusing technology you wish to ask me about?"

"I'm tired of school. Let's just crash and chat with each other, yeah? We could have some pumpkin juice while we're at it. I know where I can get some."

"Sounds good."

"Go save the chairs," Emmeline ordered, making her way to the portrait-hole. Lily sat on one of the squashy armchairs and propped her feet onto the other. She watched Alice and Cass enter the room, giggling quietly. Spotting her, they made a beeline towards the corner and plopped down across from her.

"Ouch! You guys are sitting on my feet!"

"Serves you right." Cass smirked, wiggling her bony self so that Lily was even more in pain. "Merlin, you're uncomfortable to sit on."

"Extremely." Alice agreed, making a face. "We should chop your ankles off—they're very pointy."

"Excuse me, but you two were the ones that sat on me! So either get off or be subjected to my pointy legs."

"The abuse we take from her," Alice said as she heaved a sigh and pushed herself off the chair. Cass followed, shaking her head mournfully.

"I don't know why we even bother." The pitiful look on her face made Lily laugh, her head lounging against the headrest lazily.

"I like Friday evenings," she decided as she glanced between her two friends. Cass stopped her absentminded humming and glanced up at the redhead.

"So do I. What prompted this outburst of affection?"

"Thoughtfulness. And the fact that I finished my homework already." She grinned, knowing Cass and Alice had an essay due on Monday.

"Don't rub it in," Alice said sourly, fiddling with a piece of her brown hair. "In fact, let's not talk about school at all. I was thinking about dyeing my hair blonde. What do you think?"

Cass was spared from answering by a slightly breathless Emmeline. She handed everyone a cup of pumpkin juice and sighed.

"What took you so long?"

"I was distracted." Emmeline wouldn't meet Lily's eyes.

"By?" Lily asked warily. Emmeline blew out air through her cheeks and wrinkled her nose. Diversionary tactics and the like.

"Only Avery."

"No you didn't! You did not take revenge on him."

"I cannot tell a lie, Lily," Emmeline said with a quirk of her lips and a raise of her glass. "Let's just say he's significantly bluer than he was before."

"Did you choke him?"

"Emmeline, why?" Lily asked, crossing her arms and ignoring Cass. Emmeline shrugged again, and a curious glint crept into her gaze.

"Because. Just leave it at that, please. Just because."

Lily wonderingly dropped the subject, but Emmeline was distracted the rest of the night. She wouldn't respond to questions and refused to meet anyone's eye.

When she saw Avery later, he not only was blue but had a slightly larger head. Marlene looked very pleased with herself.

"What he deserves. He needed a big head," Lily heard her mutter at the table.

Smiling into her bread and butter, Lily pitied any person on the wrong end of her friends' vengeance.

* * *

A/N: Third year will be up as soon as possible. :)

Reviews would give me joy on New Year's Day!


	3. The Hormones Kick In

Disclaimer: I'm not JK.

A/N: hey guys, sorry for the delay. Life got in the way… But here's Chapter 3!

* * *

_ I've been awake for a while now  
You've got me feelin' like a child now  
'Cause every time I see your bubbly face  
I get the tingles in a silly place  
It starts in my toes  
And I crinkle my nose  
Wherever it goes I always know  
That you make me smile  
-Bubbly (Colbie Caillat)_

* * *

Third year. It was secretly the bane of all the teacher's lives. Tempers ran high and passions even higher. Awkward was endemic to every house, and there was too much hair flipping amongst both genders to take half of what they said seriously.

(**************)

"Boys," Sirius started the minute they were all in the dorms, "I propose we start a new tradition." Everyone paused from their unpacking and looked at each other with slightly panicked eyes. Sirius noticed and huffed, "It's not that bad, I promise."

"If you say so," Remus said, with a sinking feeling of dread.

"Prats." At a normal volume: "Best-looking bird this year. Go." The other three were quite stunned for a while.

"Sirius, I'm calling this tradition out. It seems too… offensive."

"What could be bad about calling out the nice-looking ones? It's a compliment," Sirius said, flopping down onto his bed.

Remus frowned and rubbed his eyes. "I wouldn't like it if I was 'complimented' like that and it being made into a tradition. Why should they?"

"Moony." Sirius sat up and narrowed his eyes. "Are you gay?"

"No, I am not. Merlin. I just don't like the idea of…"

"Oh, shut it. Dorcas Meadowes is looking fit," James commented lazily, smirking at Remus' expression. "If a little crazy, like always."

Sirius nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess she is. Lana Reese changed over the summer."

"What about Helen Horty?" Peter put in a little nervously.

James ignored him. "Who do you think looks good, Moony?"

Remus massaged his temples with his fingers, taking deep breaths. "Bloody hell, you are incorrigible. No one in particular catches my eye."

"Aw, you're just saying that so the conversation will stop."

"I'm saying that because it's true."

"But if there was just _one_ girl that you think even a little bit pretty, then who would it be?" James crossed his arms.

"Do I have to answer?'

"Yes!" the other three chorused, enjoying their friend's discomfort. Remus frowned and muttered something about insufferable gits under his breath.

"Fine. I guess Lily Evans looks nice."

"Evans?" Sirius nearly shouted in surprise. "Bookworm Lily? The Red Headed Menace? The Copper Kettle of Death?"

"Why do we have so many names for her?" Peter wondered and was answered by a shrug from James.

"Evans, honestly? She's too much of a ginger for me. And she's so mean. Why do you think _she's_ good looking?"

"I don't know, maybe because I have stupid concepts of pretty, or maybe it's because she's always been nice and we're friends. I don't know! You guys started this, and this is why I don't like it."

"I thought you didn't like it because it was offensive?" James said, forehead crinkling.

Remus threw his hands in the air. "Aurgh!" he cried, crawling into bed and pulling the covers over his head. He stayed like that, and the others watched him for a moment.

"Well, gents, I do believe we've broken Moony," Sirius remarked, grinning. "Who would've thought it would take a conversation about girls to do the trick? Actually, that was probably a given."

"Shut your face before I shut it for you, Black," Remus said, muffled.

"This probably isn't the best time to tell you that I accidentally dropped your book into the soup at dinner tonight, is it?" Peter ventured, looking pink and very ashamed.

Remus poked his head out from under the blankets and stared at Peter, horrified. "What?" Remus' voice was dangerously low. His spell hit Peter so quickly, Sirius and James could hardly react. Soon the pudgy boy was on the floor, legs turned to jelly.

"That wasn't very nice," Sirius said disapprovingly.

"You're one to talk. And he deserved it," Remus replied sulkily before diving under the sheets again.

(**************)

Lily's forehead was scrunched in concentration as she copied down Professor McGonagall's complex notes. Transfiguration was her worst subject and Lily was lost.

"I hate Animagi," she decided, muttering under her breath. Her seatmate Emmeline gave her a quick glance and a small smile.

"Excuse me," James said, his hand raised high in the air. McGonagall cocked an eyebrow at being interrupted in the middle of a lecture. "But do Animagi actually turn into animals?"

"That's the point, Mr. Potter," she answered as the class tittered.

"But do they take on all animal characteristics? Like could they be impervious to human diseases and such when they were in their Animagus form?"  
"I do not have nine lives if that is what you are wondering." James shook his head. "I suppose that would be true. The reverse of that is that an Animagus could catch animal diseases and such that humans are immune against. Why the sudden curiosity?"

"No reason," he replied, shaking his head again. He spoke again, more quietly but loud enough for Lily to hear. "I just like Transfiguration, that's all."

"Prat," she swore, ticked that he was better at her in a class. Emmeline rolled her eyes.

"Professor," James called, "is it terribly painful to become an Animagus?"

McGonagall paused, a smile hidden on her lips and a slight twinkle in her eye. "If I say yes, will that discourage you from attempting to turn into a lion next period?"

"I don't plan on turning into a lion. I'm just curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat," The woman muttered, clicking her tongue. "I have been an Animagus for so long that it doesn't hurt anymore. It is instinct, almost. However, it hurt horribly the first time and the time after that. Does that satisfy you?"

"Yes, Professor." And the lecture continued, but Mr. Potter was persistent.

"Can Animagi turn at will? Do they ever change accidentally? Did you choose your defining marks? How did you choose what animal to become?" McGonagall had had enough.

"Mr. Potter, if you would like to discuss this more in-depth, you can come to my office after class. But for right now, I would appreciate it if I could actually teach."

Lily watched James redden, and she bit back a smile. It was always fun to see him shut up. Stupid boy, always acting cocky and arrogant and better than everyone else. And always running his mouth.

A folded piece of paper appeared on her desk. It was folded neatly and titled with Lily's name.

_You're thinking about James again, aren't you?_

_-Em_

Lily glanced over and frowned before scribbling a hasty reply.

_How did you know?_

_You always get a certain look on your face when you're annoyed at him. What is it this time?_

_He thinks he's so much better than everyone else. Did you hear him playing teacher's pet with McGonagall? Bloody disgusting. _

_If you say so. _

Lily's frown deepened into a scowl, and she crumpled the paper in her hands. Emmeline shook her head and bent her head over her notes. Lily did the same.

She felt something catch in her hair and, pulling it out, realized that it was another piece of paper, smaller this time and with no writing on it. As she sat wondering, another hit the back of her head again. She craned her neck to the back of the room and noticed Sirius smirking idly at her. With a flick of his wand, a scrap of parchment flew through the air and connected with her face.

"Boys," she hissed, dramatically whirling around and trying to concentrate on the lesson.

(**************)

"Lily, wait!" Remus called after Transfiguration, stopping her furious march from the room.

She turned to him with an eyebrow raised. The only one of Potter's mates she could stand, it was only for him that she didn't hex Black and Potter to oblivion. Or to the hospital wing. "What, Remus?"

"I'm sorry about my friends. They're immature and childish and stupid."

"Thanks, that's very kind of you, but you don't have to apologize. _They_ were the ones that were being annoying."

"If you say so," he muttered, looking down and a little bit pink. "Actually, I had something else to ask you. Um, well, you know the Hogsmeade trip this weekend?"

"Of course."  
He shifted his weight, obviously embarrassed. "Well, I was wondering, erm, I was wondering if you'dliketogotoHogsmeadewithme." He glanced up hopefully, and Lily stared at him with a confused expression on her face.

"Sorry, what?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to go to Hogsmeade with me," he said, after a calming breath. It was her turn to blush, and she found that she couldn't look directly at him.

"Yeah, that sounds like fun. I'd love to."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Good."

"Good." And they both laughed at the awkwardness of it, but Remus had a pleased look on his face, and Lily was beaming. "I'll meet you in the Great Hall then, yeah?"

"Yeah." She scurried off after another smile. Emmeline caught up with her and nudged her shoulder.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Don't give me that. You are as red as a tomato. What did Remus say?"

Lily ducked her head so she didn't have to look at her friend. Naturally, this only made Emmeline even more curious, and she began to pester the redhead until Lily gave up.

"All right, all right! Remus asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him."

"Did you say yes?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"That is so sweet!" Emmeline exclaimed as they walked into Potions. "My itty-bitty Lily is growing up!"

"Shut it, you don't have to make such a big deal out of it."

"But—" She was cut off when Lily gave her a small wave and headed off to sit with Severus.

"Hey, Sev!" she said, plunking her books down on the table. "How are you?"

"Fine," he replied, giving her one of his rare smiles. "Except that I haven't seen you since last Potions."

"That's sad," she said, pulling a face, but brightening after a second. "What are we making in class today? Do you know?"

"I think we're making a Shrinking Solution. At least, that's what the next chapter in our book is."

"Excellent." Lily squinted at the board. "But when would that come in handy?"

"Transporting things, maybe." Severus shrugged. "You never know when you'll need a potion. It's always good to have some."

"I suppose."

"Today," Slughorn boomed, standing at the head of the class, "we are making a Shrinking Solution." Lily and Severus exchanged a smile. "This potion is very volatile. If you mix it wrong, it is toxic, so be careful everyone. Hop to it!"

"You gather ingredients, and I'll start heating the cauldron," Severus told her, and Lily nodded. She read over the list and hurried to the cupboard at the back of the room.

Remus was there for the same reason, and she stood next to him, not knowing what to say.

"Hey," she said finally, deciding that playing it cool was best.

"Hi." Apparently he had the same thought. They glanced at each other out of the corner of their eyes and looked away, blood rushing to their cheeks. Sirius, who was watching them, scowled.

"You two are disgusting," he told them sourly, deliberately knocking into Remus as he passed. "Bloody horrible."

Remus rolled his eyes and smiled apologetically at Lily. "Sorry, he's not tamed yet," he said, making sure Sirius could hear, and Sirius thumped the back of his head in response. Lily giggled and collected her ingredients.

"What were you talking with Lupin and Black about?" Severus asked suspiciously when she got back.

"Um, nothing."

"It didn't look like nothing."

"Does everyone have to know about every interaction I have? He asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him this weekend. That is all."

"Lily—"

"You're dicing those caterpillars, not slicing them," she warned, turning to the Shrivelfig."

"Lily—"

"I don't want to hear about how you don't like Remus because he's in Potter's gang, but I don't really care. I want to go and I will go," she snapped, sulking and peeling the fruit perhaps a little too thickly.

Severus cleared his throat. "I was actually going to tell you that, um, it's better if you shake that first. It will make it more effective. That's all."

"Oh." A pause, a little uncomfortable in nature, hung between the two. "Sorry about the outburst."

"Whatever." He pushed the caterpillars—correctly sliced—into the cauldron and heated it until it turned red. "Do you have to go with him?"

"Severus!"

"Well, do you?"

"I said yes, so yes."

"But he's…" he started but stopped at Lily's face. He knew that look. It meant danger, that a storm was on the horizon.

"What, Severus?"

"Nothing. I don't want to argue. Let's just make the Solution. Please."

She sighed and nodded. They bent their heads over the steaming cauldron and, within minutes, were perfectly fine with each other.

(**************)

Lily and Remus dated for a total of two weeks. It involved some hand holding, sitting together all the time, and one very awkward kiss.

"Remus, I don't think this is going to work," Lily said, blushing bright red.

Remus, also pink, rubbed the gloss mark off his cheek. "Yeah, I don't think so either," he admitted. "It's not that I don't like you, but you're more like a sister to me than…than a girlfriend." He cringed, hoping she wouldn't be offended.

On the contrary, she was relieved. "I was thinking the same thing. Friends?"

"Yeah. Friends." They shook hands, traces of blood still on their faces. They left the empty classroom and walked together back to the common room. Their hands dangled firmly at their sides, and Lily was happier than she had been in a fortnight.

Sirius looked up as they clambered in through the portrait hole. He cocked an eyebrow curiously at them as they sat on two separate chairs instead of the loveseat, as per usual.

"We broke up," Remus announced, answering his unspoken question.

"Did you dump her?" Sirius asked, smirking at Lily. She gave him a death glare and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"No one was dumped. We made a decision to split," she said, and Sirius laughed.

James glanced away from the fire and ruffled his hair, a gleam in his eye. "Does this mean I can hex Snivellus now?"

"What!?" shouted Lily, straightening up and fuming.

Remus glared at him and shook his head. "Nice going, mate," he muttered. "And just when you two were starting to have a decent relationship as well."

James rumpled his hair again and shrugged. "I don't care. I miss cursing ol' Sev."

Lily stood, face matching hair and shaking with rage. She pointed her wand at a white James and muttered something under her breath. He flinched, expecting the worst, but nothing happened.

"Getting rusty, eh there, Evans?" he drawled cheekily, grinning at her.

She shot him another look and stalked out of the room.

"Do you think we should…" Remus started.

"Nah," she heard Sirius answer. James Potter's hair was now a brilliant shade of emerald green.

(**************)

"Ooh, I hate that boy. Absolutely hate him," she growled to Emmeline, who looked up sympathetically from her bed.

"James, right? I thought you were starting to like him. What did he do now?"

Lily waved her hand dismissively. "It's a long story. I—"

"Lily! Emmeline!" someone called from outside their dormitory. "Alice has news that will make you explode!" The ever-violent Cass. "Are you decent?" she cried, walking in with a grumpy-looking Alice in tow.

"You okay?"

"She woke me up from my nap," Alice grunted, frowning at everyone in the room. She did not like to be woken up.

"Only because you didn't tell _them._"

"You've told everyone else. Go ahead, say what you want."

"Guess who asked Alice to Slughorn's dinner Thursday night?" Cass asked, a delighted look on her face.

"You don't have to make such a big fuss about it."

"Oh, hush, or I'll be tempted to throw you to the Thestrals. Benjy Fenwick."

"What?" Emmeline and Lily said in chorus. Cass huffed at them, and Alice frowned from on the bed.

"Benjy Fenwick invited our dear Alice Greengrass to the dinner Sluggy's having on Thursday. Isn't it exciting?"

"Extremely. I couldn't be happier," Emmeline said dryly to the prostrate brunette. But it seemed Alice had fallen asleep again. Cass rolled her eyes.

"Honestly? Does she always have to sleep at important times?"

"I'm going to that party as well," Lily remembered, thankful for the reminder. Cass whipped her head around to beam at her.

"Oh, good. You and Remus can watch over Alice and slit Benjy's neck if needs be."

"Cass!" Emmeline said disapprovingly. "That's a little...excessive."

"Violence is always the answer." Cass tossed her hair over her shoulder and ignored Emmeline's muttering that it wasn't _quite_ like that. "Will that interfere with your and Remus' plans?" she asked, drawing out the last word to make Lily cringe.

"Actually, I will be going on my own. Remus and I are no longer, erm, together romantically."

"What?" Alice cried, bolting up from her sleep and staring at Lily. "Are you okay? Do you need ice cream or cake? I can get you some chocolate."

Lily laughed. "No, I'm fine. Merlin, Cass, put the broomstick down! It was the right thing to do anyway. We're too much like family to date. It was…weird."

"Good, cuz I didn't find you two cute at all," Cass whispered, blushing and stammering when she was given a look. "I mean, you're cute and all, and he's cute...ish, but just not together. You know who you would be absolutely _adorable_ with?" A mystified pause. "Sirius Black."

"You have got to be kidding me. Sirius Black? I can't even…" She gaped at Cass, opening and closing her mouth much like a fish. Emmeline and Cass exchanged amused glances.

"I think you broke Lily."

"I'm okay, I think. But Sirius Black?!" she said, shaking her head vigorously.

"Don't hate the player. Hate the game," Cass said, shrugging. Every girl in the dorm—even Alice—sat up and stared at her. "What?"

"I literally have no idea what you just said," Emmeline answered for all of them.

"It's a saying."

"I know that. What does it mean?"

"I don't know," Cass admitted. "I just thought it sounded right."

Alice groaned and flung a pillow in her general direction. Within minutes, pillows were flying everywhere and the odd feather floated around. The girls were all crazy with giggles, and they eventually collapsed, exhausted.

"I'm really going to go take that nap now," Alice said, hoisting herself up and dusting off. Cass followed.

"What's going on here?" Sade asked, coming into the room with a bemused expression. Emmeline and Lily took one look at each other and burst into another fit of laughter. Sade shook her head. "Never mind; I don't want to know."

(**************)

James slouched in his chair in the hospital wing and watched Remus miserably. "Moony, I hate seeing you like this," he said to his battered and bruised friend. Despite his injuries, Remus smiled at the use of his nickname.

"It's okay. It's normal."

"Ha!" Sirius snorted, pushing off of the wall and coming to sit next to James. "That's a joke."

"It's normal for me."

"I still don't like it." James frowned and leaned forward. "It looks so painful, and you have to go through it all alone."

"That is the worst part," admitted Moony, cringing as he shifted position. "Don't you even think about it, James Potter," he warned, seeing the gleam in his hazel eyes.

"You don't know what I'm thinking!"

"You're thinking that you don't want me to be alone. You were going to volunteer to come with me next month."

"Okay, maybe you do know what I'm thinking. Isn't it a great idea?"

"No, it's bloody horrible! I'm a werewolf, you can't just hang around like you're doing right now. I'm absolutely _insane_ in the worst way possible during the full moon. You're not getting anywhere near me."

"Fine. I just hate seeing you like this. It makes me feel so … helpless."

"You don't have to come and see me here. I'm perfectly all right by myself," Remus said, simultaneously hating himself for it and wishing that James would take his advice.

James snorted, shaking his head. "What kind of mates would we be if we just left you here?"

"I don't think even Snivellus is capable of that cruelty," Sirius added, trying to make his friend smile. It worked, but barely. "Is there anything you need?"

"Chocolate's always good."

"Here." Sirius tossed a bar at Moony, the good Honeydukes stuff, and it was devoured rather quickly. "Are you sure we couldn't come down there and stay with you?"

"Absolutely," Remus said firmly. "I'm not aware of myself. I just… start to bite people. And it's not, it's not worth it. Ever."

"Oi!" James almost shouted, sitting straight up, a gleam in his eye. "A werewolf's bite is lethal to humans, right? It wouldn't hurt animals, would it?"

"No," Remus said, "I don't suppose it would. James' mouth stretched into a wide grin, and he whipped around to look at Sirius.

"Do you remember what we were learning about last week in Transfiguration?"

"Changing mice into goblets?"

"Before that." Sirius shook his head and James frowned. "Animagi. We were learning about Animagi, and McGonagall turned into a cat. Remember? I asked her all those questions…"

"Yeah."

"Vaguely. What's that got to do with Remus?"

"Werewolves only affect humans, right?" James was rewarded with two blanks stares from his best friends. Sirius turned to Remus sadly.

"Moony, I think our mate's lost it."

"Lost it completely," he agreed, nodding his head. James threw his hands up in the air and sighed.

"Just answer the question: werewolf bites only change humans, yes?"

"I believe so."

"Get it now?" Silence, and James ground his teeth. "If humans are the only ones affected by a bite, and animals aren't, we can just become animals. They take on animal characteristics and it wouldn't hurt humans."

Sirius and Remus both stared at him again. He could practically see the cogs in their heads turning as they mulled over this idea, this spark that James had fanned into a flame. Sirius' eyes grew big, and he started to smile.

"That's bloody _brilliant_, that is," he crowed, flinging an arm around James' neck. "That way we can still be with Moony here and not get hurt."

"Absolutely not. That's the second-most ridiculous idea I've heard all day. No, no, no."

"Why not? It's a win-win situation," Sirius argued.

"Did you not hear what McGonagall said about it? It's impossible, nearly, even for her—an adult witch. And there are horrible things that could happen if the spell went wrong; you could be stuck in a half-animal existence for life. Not to mention it's illegal…"

"Don't be a stick in the mud, Moony! We're trying to be good friends here," James chastised.

"And besides, when have we backed off from something because it was _illegal_? Honestly, you would think we haven't been friends for two years."

"It's perfect. Me, Sirius, and Peter will learn to be some sort of animal and stay with you. It will be the stuff of legends."

"Horror stories, more like it," Remus muttered, sure that they would either forget the idea in a fortnight's time or horribly mutilate themselves. "Where is Peter, by the way?"

"Detention," Sirius said, casually flicking the hair out of his face. "We dared him to go into the girls' bathroom, and he got caught. Bloody Moaning Myrtle."

(**************)

Severus frowned at Lily. "I still can't believe you held an actual conversation with James Potter and didn't shout at him."

"I know. I'm still in shock," Lily said, flashing him a smile that melted the frown off his face. "Granted, it was only two sentences, but…"

"I don't think he can form more than two coherent sentences," Severus said scornfully. "Him and his group of monkeys."

"Hey! I know Potter is annoying and silly, but Remus isn't, and Peter's not all _that_ bad. By all means, insult Potter and Black all you want, but not the other two. "

"Black and Potter are gits, Pettigrew's clingy, and there's something off with Lupin. Did you ever find out anything?" Severus counted them off his fingers, and Lily rolled her eyes.

"No. He's perfectly normal and fine. Besides, I don't think Dumbledore would've let him in anyway."

"Maybe you're right," he allowed, sensing that Lily was getting really upset. "Has Petunia written you lately?"

"Why? You're never interested."

"No reason."

"Severus, I can tell when you're not telling the truth. You're lying right now. Why do you care if Petunia wrote me?"

"Because you always are more upset when you get a letter from her. And you've been acting quite sad lately, so I just was wondering…"

"No, she hasn't. She's decided that I'm too much of a freak to care."

"I'm sorry, Lily."

"No, it's fine. I'm okay with it." She was quiet for a moment, trying not to let Severus see that she was definitely not okay with her sister being estranged. "Speaking of family, how's yours? Does your dad write, ever?"

"No. But my mum sent me an owl the other day. Dad still hasn't gotten a job. He's yelling even more, I just know it. I could tell from her writing."

"Sev," she said, hurting for her best friend. She pulled him into her arms, giving him a long hug and trying to wipe the dejected look off his face. "Here I am, going off about silly nonsense like Petunia, and… I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

Severus shook his head and softly sniffed. Lily knew his father resented his mother and Severus for being magical. He had married her because he promised he would, when he thought that she was 'normal'. The result was a father that did not love his family. Lily's heart broke just thinking about it.

"I know what we need," she declared after a moment, rooting around in her bag. "It was in here a second ago… I just saw it… ah! Here they are!" She pulled out a slightly squished package of cauldron cakes. She tore off the wrapper and handed one to Severus. "Cake makes everything better."

Severus didn't say anything, but a smile adorned his lips. He picked at her scarf that was lying on the desk in front of them as he chewed. A red string came unraveled, and he picked it up.

"Oi! What are you ruining my scarf for?" Lily asked, waggling a finger at him. He hesitated for a moment and grabbed her hand, tying the string around her index finger. "What was _that_ for?"

Severus shrugged. "I don't know. To make you feel better, I guess."

She stared at the little bow for a moment and glanced up at him. "Fine, then I'll tie one to you for the same reason," she said, pulling on a thread of his scarf. Soon there was a matching green bow on Severus' hand. She laid her hand next to his. "There. We match now."

"Best friends?" he asked, linking their bow-tied fingers together.

"Best friends. Always," she said with a twinkle in her eye. There was more silence between them, comfortable silence. They just enjoyed each other's company. They didn't need anything more.

* * *

A/N: I really liked the Remus/Lily in this chapter. They're such a sweet, awkward couple! Sweet little thirteen year olds…

Chapter 4 might take a while, considering that I haven't written it yet. Sorry in advance.

Props, as always, to my amazing beta Lissie. She puts up with a lot.


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